One Florida, One Refugee, And Many Chads

2000 Year in Review: In Florida

December 31, 2000

ELECTORAL MESS: Florida becomes the center of the political world for more than a month as the presidential election remains in doubt. Disputes about the ballots in three South Florida counties -- Palm Beach, Broward and Miami-Dade -- are the focus of disputes about what constituted a legal vote. The Florida Supreme Court is twice overruled by the U.S. Supreme Court about what is allowable. In the aftermath, state legislative leaders and Gov. Jeb Bush create a panel to recommend changes in Florida election procedures.

ELIAN'S SAGA: After months of court hearings, political intrigue and almost-constant news coverage, Elian Gonzalez was returned to Cuba with his father. The 6-year-old boy had been pulled from the ocean by rescuers, the only survivor of a failed raft trip by Cubans, including his mother, to the United States. Distant relatives in Miami led an effort to adopt the boy and keep him in the United States, but the U.S. government, with the help of the nation's courts, led the ultimately successful effort to take him from his Miami relatives and return him to his father's custody.

NELSON WINS: Democrat Bill Nelson, the former congressman and state insurance commissioner, is elected to the U.S. Senate, succeed Republican Connie Mack, who did not seek another term. Nelson defeated Congressman Bill McCollum, who had represented Central Florida and become a controversial figure for his role in the U.S. House impeachment of President Bill Clinton.

DEMOGRAPHIC CHANGES: Florida became the third most populous state. The population rose 23.5 percent during the past decade, and the state will add two more congressional seats beginning in 2002. For the first time, the number of Hispanics in the state of Florida outnumbered the number of African-Americans.

SCHOOL MATTERS: Lawmakers agree to overhaul how Florida governs its schools, colleges and universities. The likely result will be a super board of education overseeing schools at all levels in the state. Meanwhile, the University of Florida, conducts an unsuccessful nationwide search for a new president and decides to tap its interim president, Charles Young, who does not even live in the state.

ONE FLORIDA: In an effort to head off a proposed constitutional amendment to abolish racial preferences in state hiring, contracting and college admission, Gov. Jeb Bush announces his "One Florida" plan. The plan, which is bitterly opposed by most black leaders, shows encouraging initial results in college admission of minority students.

HIGH-SPEED RAIL: Florida voters approve a constitutional amendment requiring that a statewide high-speed rail line be built connecting the Jacksonville, Orlando, Tampa-St. Petersburg, Fort Lauderdale and Miami areas. Lawmakers, surprised by the public approval of the idea, wrestle with how to finance the project.

EVERGLADES FOREVER: Congress approves, and President Bill Clinton signs, the Everglades restoration bill, which will have the federal government pay half the cost of the $7.8 billion project. The state will pick up the other half.

LIGHT SEASON: Despite predictions from experts that Florida was in for a worrisome hurricane season, 2000 was one of the quietest in recent years for the state. No major storms hit the Florida peninsula, although hurricanes did hit other parts of the United States and the Caribbean.